Where We Are and Where We Need To Be: Pre Service Science Teacher Preparation in China & Sri Lanka

Aregamalage Sujeewa Vijayanthi Polgampala¹, Hong SHEN^1, and Fang HUANG¹

¹School of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, #1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430074, P.R. CHINA

Cite this paper:
Aregamalage Sujeewa Vijayanthi Polgampala, Hong SHEN and Fang HUANG. Where We Are and Where We Need To Be: Pre Service Science Teacher Preparation in China & Sri Lanka. American Journal of Educational Research. 2016; 4(16):1138-1144. doi: 10.12691/education-4-16-3

Abstract

The rejuvenation of a nation depends upon education and the development of education depends upon teachers. Thus, quality teachers are the spine for representing overall teaching levels. This is more in science education, the training of these teachers to the standards is a great need. This article discusses a proportional look into the pre service science teacher preparation in Sri Lanka and China with comparison to the National Science Standards in U.S.A. The reforms, pre service science teacher training and science teacher professional education systems contribute to producing competent science teachers to the education system in both the countries at different levels. However, it cannot meet the standards for remarkable increasing requirements of highly qualified science teachers in the context of new science education reform. More effective measures should be taken to improve pre-service science teacher education and it must also be altered, which is not easy. In this paper an attempt is made to bridge the gap between the previous reports findings, highlights problems associated with the planning and organization of in-service training and proffered recommendations towards improving classroom instruction and organization of in-service training for prospective science teachers teachers.

Keywords:
pre-service science teacher preparation national science standers Sri Lanka China

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Computing, N.R.C.C.o.I.i., Communications, and L.f. History, Funding a revolution: government support for computing research. 1999: National Academies Press.
[2]	Grubb, D. and L. Tredway, Leading from the inside out: Expanded roles for teachers in equitable schools. 2015: Routledge.
[3]	Darling-Hammond, L. and G. Sykes, Wanted, a national teacher supply policy for education: The right way to meet the" highly qualified teacher" challenge. education policy analysis archives, 2003. 11: p. 33.
[4]	Dharmadasa, K.H., Sri Lankan Teachers' Development. 1996.
[5]	Little, A.W. and A. Green, Successful globalisation, education and sustainable development. International Journal of Educational Development, 2009. 29(2): p. 166-174.
[6]	Lanka, S., The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1978: By Authority.
[7]	Tatto, M.T. and K.H. Dharmadasa, Social and political contexts of policy formation in teacher education in Sri Lanka. The political dimension in teacher education: Comparative perspectives on policy formation, socialization and society, 1995: p. 99-120.
[8]	Wijetunge, P. and U. Alahakoon, Empowering 8: the information literacy model developed in Sri Lanka to underpin changing education paradigms of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Journal of Librarianship and Information Management, 2009. 1(1).
[9]	Shi, X. and P.A. Englert, Reform of teacher education in China. Journal of Education for Teaching, 2008. 34(4): p. 347-359.
[10]	Liu, E., C. Liu, and J. Wang, Pre-service science teacher preparation in China: Challenges and promises. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 2015. 26(1): p. 29-44.
[11]	Danielson, C., Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching. 2011: ASCD.
[12]	Bragg, S., Investing in Tomorrow's Teachers: The Integral Role of Two-Year Colleges in the Science and Mathematics Preparation of Prospective Teachers. A Report from a National Science Foundation Workshop. 1998.
[13]	Desimone, L.M., Improving impact studies of teachers’ professional development: Toward better conceptualizations and measures. Educational researcher, 2009. 38(3): p. 181-199.
[14]	Ozer, B., In-service training of teachers in Turkey at the beginning of the 2000s. Journal of in-service Education, 2004. 30(1): p. 89-100.
[15]	Ozigi, A. The development and organization of in-service education programme of the institute of education, ABU, Zaria (1971-77). in Nigerian educational forum. 1977.
[16]	William, S., Nationalism and Ethnoregional Identities in China. 2013: Routledge.
[17]	McBeath, G.A., et al., Environmental education in China. 2014: Edward Elgar Publishing.
[18]	Shulman, L., Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform. Harvard educational review, 1987. 57(1): p. 1-23.
[19]	Furlong, J. and T. Maynard, Mentoring student teachers: The growth of professional knowledge. 1995: Psychology Press.
[20]	Friend, M.P. and L. Cook, Interactions: Collaboration skills for school professionals. 1992: Longman New York.
[21]	Ho, C.-L. and W.-T. Au, Teaching satisfaction scale measuring job satisfaction of teachers. Educational and psychological Measurement, 2006. 66(1): p. 172-185.
[22]	Bybee, R.W. and S. Loucks-Horsley, National science education standards as a catalyst for change: The essential role of professional development. Professional development planning and design, 2001: p. 1-12.
[23]	Futrell, M.H., The challenge of the 21st century: Developing a highly qualified cadre of teachers to teach our nation's diverse student population. Journal of Negro Education, 1999: p. 318-334.
[24]	Van Driel, J.H., N. Verloop, and W. de Vos, Developing science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. Journal of research in Science Teaching, 1998. 35(6): p. 673-695.
[25]	Carnoy, M., J. Hallak, and F. Caillods, Globalization and educational reform: what planners need to know. 1999: UNESCO, International Institute for Educational Planning.
[26]	Trilling, B. and C. Fadel, 21st century skills: Learning for life in our times. 2009: John Wiley & Sons.
[27]	Li, D., Modernization and teacher education in China. Teaching and Teacher Education, 1999. 15(2): p. 179-192.
[28]	Bhattacharyya, S., T. Volk, and A. Lumpe, The influence of an extensive inquiry-based field experience on pre-service elementary student teachers’ science teaching beliefs. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 2009. 20(3): p. 199-218.